Cactus and Succulents - Extra Chunky

Adenia glauca

Family: Passifloraceae

This plant is a large green stem caudex with taproot that can reach upwards of 2 feet in diameter. It produces long stiff vining stems during active growth, with deciduous palmately lobed leaves. Dioecious with separate male and female plants

Habitat:
Grows on rocky cliffs in north eastern South Africa (Transvaal), often found growing out of cracks between large boulders.

Cultivation:
Should be watered once every 1 to 2 weeks during the summer, keep dry in winter. Vines can be cut back in the fall to prepare for dormancy. The caudex can grow quite rapidly if over potted and kept in extremely well draining medium (mostly pumice), up to several inches a season.

Adenia spinosa

Family: Passifloraceae

Caudex to 8ft, with stiff vining stems bearing long relatively dull spines which are derived from petioles of the old leaves. Dioecious with separate male and female plants

Habitat:
Found from Limpopo Province in East South Africa to Botswana and Zimbabwe growing in scrublands and spars grasslands, often under the canopy of larger trees or shrubs.

Cultivation:
Should be watered once every 1 to 2 weeks during the summer, keep dry in winter. Vines can be cut back in the fall to prepare for dormancy. The caudex can grow quite rapidly if over potted and kept in extremely well draining medium (mostly pumice). Caudex prefers to be shaded, while the Vinings stems like full sun.

Adenia venenata

Family: Passifloraceae

Green Tree-like caudiciform up to 2 feet in diameter and 10 feet tall. Produces long vining green stems with deciduous Palmate leaves. Dioecious with separate male and female plants

Habitat:
This plant is widespread in sub-Saharan Africa ranging all the way from Northern Nigeria to Yemen. It is found growing in a wide variety of soils and biom types, often near trees which it grows up using its long Vining branches.

Cultivation:
Should be watered once every 1 to 2 weeks during the summer, keep dry in winter. Vines can be cut back in the fall to prepare for dormancy. The caudex can grow quite rapidly if over potted and kept in extremely well draining medium (mostly pumice).

Adenia volkensii

Family: Passifloraceae

This plant grows to be a small shrub in habitat with modeled red and green stems and deciduous palmate leaves. The plant has large tuberous roots that form a gnarly caudex, which can be raised above the ground for display. Dioecious with separate male and female plants

Habitat:
Widespread in East Africa, typically occurring in forested scrub land where it grows under the shade of larger plants.

Cultivation:
Should be watered once every 1 to 2 weeks during the summer, keep dry in winter. The root caudex can grow quite rapidly if over potted and kept in extremely well draining medium (mostly pumice). It is best to keep the caudex buried until it reaches a satisfactory size. Once exposed the growth rate of the caudex is slowed dramatically, if not halted completely.

Adenium arabicum

Family: Apocynaceae

A large above ground caudiciform plant producing a thickened trunk up to 6 feet in diameter. Plant has 2 to 3 inch long oval, slightly pubescent leaves, and 1 to 2 inch wide flowers with fading light pink petals and a yellow to cream colored center.

Habitat:
Native to the Arabian peninsula from Western Saudi Arabia to eastern Yemen where it grows between Granite rocks and along granite cliff faces. It is an extremely arid species and can handle long droughts.

Cultivation:
Should be watered once every 1 to 2 weeks during the summer, keep dry in winter. The caudex can grow quite rapidly if over potted and kept in extremely well draining medium (mostly pumice), up to several inches a season.

A note on nomenclature:
Due to precedence, the accepted name for Adenium arabicum is Adenium obesum, however, this is the same name that was given to a genetically and visibly distinctive species originating from eastern Tanzania. This nomenclatural error (which is not resolved) has resulted in much confusion in the botanical community. Due to this, the majority of plants sold under these names are most likely hybrids between the two species.

Adenium arabicum “Shada”

Family: Apocynaceae

This plant is a compact dwarf cultivar of Adenium arabicum: A large above ground caudiciform plant producing a thickened trunk up to 6 feet in diameter. Plant has 2 to 3 inch long oval, slightly pubescent leaves, and one to 2 inch wide flowers with fading light pink petals and a yellow to cream colored center.

Habitat:
Adenium arabicum is native to the Arabian peninsula from Western Saudi Arabia to eastern Yemen where it grows between Granite rocks and along granite cliff faces. It is an extremely arid species and can handle long droughts.

Cultivation:
Should be watered once every 1 to 2 weeks during the summer, keep dry in winter. The caudex can grow quite rapidly if over potted and kept in extremely well draining medium (mostly pumice), up to several inches a season.

Adenium obesum

Family: Apocynaceae

A large mostly subterranean caudiciform plant up to 3 feet in diameter. Plant has 2 to 3 inch long truncate glabrous leaves, and 2 to 3 inch wide pink flowers.

Habitat:
Found from north eastern Mozambique to southern Kenya, this plant grows in dry scrub land, often among grasses and small shrubs

Cultivation:
Should be watered once every 1 to 2 weeks during the summer, keep dry in winter. The caudex can grow quite rapidly if over potted and kept in extremely well draining medium (mostly pumice), up to several inches a season.

A note on nomenclature:
This plant should not be confused with the Arabian Adenium obesum, often referred to as Adenium arabicum, which is a genetically and visibly distinctive species. This nomenclatural error (which is not resolved) has resulted in much confusion in the botanical community. Due to this, the majority of plants sold under these names are most likely hybrids between the two species.

Adenium obesum “Chubby Tubby”

Family: Apocynaceae

A beautiful cultivar with an extra fat caudex and stubby stems! This is most likely a hybrid between Adenium obesum, and Adenium arabicum having the squatter form of arabicum, and the larger flowers of obesum.

Cultivation:
Should be watered once every 1 to 2 weeks during the summer, keep dry in winter. The caudex can grow quite rapidly if over potted and kept in extremely well draining medium (mostly pumice), up to several inches a season.

Adenium obesum “Picotee”

Family: Apocynaceae

A hybrid Adenium cultivar originating in Thailand with stunning white and vibrant pink-edged flowers. Will grow large irregular caudex.

Cultivation:
Should be watered once every 1 to 2 weeks during the summer, keep dry in winter. The caudex can grow quite rapidly if over potted and kept in extremely well draining medium (mostly pumice), up to several inches a season.

Adenium obesum “Pink Picotee”

Family: Apocynaceae

A seed-grown hybrid cultivar originating in Thailand with stunning light pink flowers with vibrant hot pink edges. Will grow large irregular caudex.

Cultivation:
Should be watered once every 1 to 2 weeks during the summer, keep dry in winter. The caudex can grow quite rapidly if over potted and kept in extremely well draining medium (mostly pumice), up to several inches a season.

Adenium socotranum

Family: Apocynaceae

This is the largest species of Adenium, reaching up to 8 feet in diameter and 15 feet tall in habitat. Plants have 2 to 3 inch long dark green glabrous leaves with a cream colored midrib, and 2 inch wide flowers that fade from dark pink to almost white with age.

Habitat:
Endemic to the island of Socotra where it is wide spread and prolific. The plants grow as a partial lithophyte, growing on and among limestone and Granite boulders. In habitat the plant experiences two rainy seasons one in December and one from March to June, the island is dry the rest of the year.

Cultivation:
Should be watered once every 1 to 2 weeks starting in March and ending in June, keep dry the rest of the year. This plant is rare and relatively difficult to grow well in cultivation. It tends to grow extremely slowly/irregularly in comparison with habitat plants

Adenium somalense

Family: Apocynaceae

This plant produces a subterranean roughly spherical shaped caudex up to 2 feet in diameter. Plant has 2 to 3 inch long Lanceolate glabrous leaves, and 2 to 3 inch pink flowers.

Habitat:
Found in Somalia, Kenya, and southern Ethiopia. This plant grows in dry scrub land, often among grasses and small shrubs

Cultivation:
Should be watered once every 1 to 2 weeks during the summer, keep dry in winter. The caudex can grow quite rapidly if over potted and kept in extremely well draining medium (mostly pumice), up to several inches a season.

Adenium swazicum

Family: Apocynaceae

This plant produces a subterranean roughly spherical shaped caudex up to 2 feet in diameter. Plant has 2 to 3 inch long Lanceolate slightly pubescent leaves, and 2 to 3 inch dark pink flowers.

Habitat:
Restricted to a small country known as Eswatini (Swaziland) in northeastern South Africa. This plant grows in dry scrub land, often among grasses and small shrubs

Cultivation:
Should be watered once every 1 to 2 weeks during the summer, keep dry in winter. The caudex can grow quite rapidly if over potted and kept in extremely well draining medium (mostly pumice), up to several inches a season.

Adromischus filicaulis

Synonym: Cotyledon filicaulis
Family: Crassulaceae

Small plant with thick squat branches, and succulent oblong spotted leaves. Large plants can produce a very fat succulent base that could be considered a caudex.

Habitat:
Found in the Richtersveld of South Africa, growing among weathered granite exposed to the harsh sun.

Cultivation:
This is a relatively slow growing plant that does well outdoors in full sun, and planted in extremely well draining inorganic media. It is from a transitionary rainfall region so it should receive moderate water throughout the year (about once every one to two weeks in the summer, and less in the winter) always being allowed to dry out completely between waterings.

Adromischus marianae fa. herrei

Synonym: A. marianae var. immaculatus
Family: Crassulaceae

Small plant with thick squat branches, and extremely unique lumpy red leaves. Large plants can produce a very fat succulent base that could be considered a caudex.

Habitat:
Found in Little Namaqualand, South Africa, growing between granite rocks.

Cultivation:
This is a relatively slow growing plant that does well outdoors in part sun. This plant is extremely rot prone without adequate air circulation, and should be planted in extremely well draining mostly inorganic media. It is from a winter rainfall region, but can receive water throughout the year in cultivation. Should be watered about once every 2 to 3 weeks, always allowing time for the soil to dry out completely between waterings.

Albuca “Augrabies Hills”

Family: Hyacinthaceae

Small bulb with narrow feathery semi-deciduous leaves. Produces long bloom stalks with yellow tipped whiteish-green flowers in the spring.

Origin:
This plant was originally introduced by Arid Lands, and was reportedly grown from seed collected in the Augrabies, near the South African Namibian border. However, it’s origin is disputed since it closely resembles Albuca polyphylla, (the one exception being the yellow tips of the flowers) which grows in the eastern cape far from the locality of the seeds.

Cultivation:
This plant seems to grow all year around, however, it is most active in winter. This growth pattern is consistent with its reported origin of the Augrabies which is a winter rainfall transitionary region. Plants should be grown in a well draining mostly in organic mix, heavily amended with horticultural pumice. Can be watered every other week throughout the year, however it can handle going completely dormant throughout the summer. Plants do well outside in pots, or in a landscape with highly inorganic, well draining soil.

Albuca namaquensis

Synonym: Albuca circinata

Family: Hyacinthaceae

Winter-growing bulb with deciduous curly, non-glandular, pubescent leaves. Produces a long bloom stalk with yellow-green flowers in the spring

Habitat:
Found throughout northern South Africa and southern Namibia growing on sandstone cliffs.

Cultivation:
Plants should be grown in a well draining mostly in organic mix, heavily amended with horticultural pumice. Can be watered every other week throughout the year, however it prefers going completely dormant in the summer (no water in summer). Plants do well outside in pots, or in a landscape with highly inorganic, well draining soil.

Albuca spiralis

Family: Hyacinthaceae

Unusual bulb with deciduous curly leaves up to 8 inches tall. Leaves curl more in full sun less curly in shade. Cute green-yellow classic Hyacinth-like flowers in spring

Habitat:
Western South Africa, Cape Province through Namaqualand.

Cultivation:
These plants do best potted in a well draining media, heavily amended with horticultural pumice. In shade or part shade the bulb can be slightly exposed, in full sun the bulb must be fully buried. This bulb is from a winter rainfall region and is summer deciduous should be watered once every other week in the winter and left completely dry in the summer (June through August).

Alluaudia adscendens

Family: Didiereaceae

This is the tallest species of Didiereaceae reaching 50 feet in habitat, however it is a very slow growing species that rarely exceeds 15 feet in cultivation under ideal conditions. Plants are densely spined, with beautiful dark green vertical leaves which line the stems during the growing season.

Habitat:
Found in the Mandrare River Basin of Southern Madagascar

Cultivation:
This is a relatively easy to grow species if protected from winter rain and frost. Very well established plants can survive light frost. Plants are best kept in a greenhouse or indoors in a bright south facing window. These plants enjoy a well draining media with very light organics and heavily amended with pumice. Should be watered once every other week during the summer and left dry in winter.

Aloinopsis malherbei

Family: Aizoaceae

Grows into small clumps of thick open green leaves with small tubercles at margins. Produces orange flowers in spring.

Habitat:
Found growing on shale slopes in the Northern Cape of South Africa

Cultivation:
These plants are from a winter rainfall area and therefore do well outdoors in our Mediterranean climate if grown in a highly inorganic well draining media such as pumice, and exposed to full sun for at least part of the day. Tends to be rot prone if grown in organic material. These plants can be used in rock gardens or landscapes if the soil is mounted and well draining (amending with 75% lava sand, or high-quality decomposed granite, can accomplish this). Reduce watering in summer.

Aloinopsis schooneesii

Small dense clumps of speckled blue-green leaves sit on large tuberous roots, which can be esposed over time to form an unusual bonsai. Yellow flowers in spring.

Ariocarpus retusus

Highly variable geophytic cactus, possibly through hybridizing. Slow-growing to 10″d. w/hairy center and summer blooms. Can take 10+ years for first flowers. Keep dry in winter.